1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to force generating systems and, more particularly, is concerned with a system for generating a controlled reference environment and a steerable translational force from interaction with the reference environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Propulsive systems for driving a vehicle and flying an airplane can and typically do rely on interactions with external environments to generate a desired translational motion. For instance, travel of a vehicle is generated by the friction between its rotatably-driven wheels and the road, whereas the flight of an airplane is generated by the pull of propellers against the air or the thrust or push of jet engines against the air.
The apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,626 to Navarro et al employed a rotatably-driven asymmetrically-accelerated eccentric mass system which interacted with an external environment, such as a surface supporting the apparatus, for generating translational force. However, a drawback of the patented apparatus is that the force so generated typically translates along a curved path or eventually the apparatus travels in a curved path due to the rotation of the asymmetrical mass within the system, or simply due to rotation of orbital members employed within the system.
Consequently, a need exists for improvement to the above-cited patented apparatus in order to overcome its drawback and permit control over the direction in which the force generated by the system is translated.